Sunday, May 17, 2009

Buying a Home in Glendale Arizona: On the Road to Success

If you are looking to buy your first home in the Phoenix metropolitan area, you may want to consider Glendale. It is located west of Phoenix and offers easy access to the city, as well as to the many businesses.

Glendale is one of the most affordable home communities throughout the Valley. For first time buyers, this community gives you options of getting more home for your money. Of course, buying your first home is a big first step, and you can take some steps to avoid those mistakes of home buying.

Not Being Prepared

Most first time buyers think the first step is going out and looking for a home. Actually, the first step is working with a mortgage agent. A big part of your home purchase is getting a mortgage, and your mortgage agent is best qualified to help you through the process. A good agent can show you where you may experience potential problems, take a good look at your credit, and give you some suggestions of the price range for your potential home.

Focusing on the Long Term

When you look for a home in Glendale, be careful not to focus too far in the future. It's hard to predict where you'll be or what you'll be doing ten or fifteen years from now. If you are focused too far in the future, you may buy a larger home than you really need. Focus on your needs for the next five to seven years, how close do you need to be to work, how many bedrooms are ideal, how big of a home do you want.

Chances are you'll be looking for a new home in five to seven years, and you'll revise your home search based on your needs at that time.

Waiting Too Long to Buy

Taking that first step to buy a home is a huge decision, and at times it can be a little frightening. Maybe you've heard rumors of a real estate bubble, and you think if you wait it out that bubble will collapse and you'll find a house at a better price. Actually, most experts have already said that the real estate collapse is not going to happen. You aren't going to see home prices fall in the near future. In fact, most likely home prices will continue to increase, just at a slightly less pronounced rate than the last couple of years.

If you decide to wait too long, you may find that you can't afford the increased prices. And, the longer you stay in your rental property, the more money you give to your landlord that you could be investing that money in yourself.

Looking for Perfection

First time buyers see themselves living in a home for years, and want to find the home that is perfect for them. Unfortunately, there is no such house. All homes will have a few problems, some that are easier to fix than others, some that you just have to learn to live with. When you look for a home in Glendale, be prepared to walk in with an open mind. You'll find that you have a lot more options when you do.

Do a little preparation in advance and you'll find the perfect Glendale home for you. You home is an important investment in your future, the right home will let you begin upon the path of accumulating wealth, it's a good road to be on.

Reg Gustin is a senior loan officer with Sun American Mortgage and specializes in helping families and their financial lending needs.

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